BRIAN BEHRENDS, CREATIVE PASTOR
Mark 8:27–35
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter.
“Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
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Who is Jesus?
He’s over everything
Christ is the image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation. Colossians 1:15 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
He’s of everything
…for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
He’s in everything
He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 He’s the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. Colossians 1:17–18 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
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What’s he inviting us to do?( Mark 8:34)
yourself
Take up your
him
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Small Group Questions
- If you had to tell a true story from your life that would surprise most people, what would it be?
- Why do you think Jesus starts by asking, “Who do people say I am?” before asking, “Who do you say I am?”
- Read Mark 8:31-33. Why do you think Jesus responds so strongly to Peter and says, “Get behind me Satan?” What was it about what Peter said that was so offensive to Jesus?
- Jesus challenges us to deny ourselves. What does that look like in your daily life? Where is that hard for you?
- When you reflect on the “I was…” part of your story, what’s one lie you once believed about yourself that Jesus has replaced with truth? How has that shifted the way you live today?
- How can we pray for you right now and throughout the week?